The Dream Catcher (1999)
Review by HTQ4
Film:
DVD:

Written by Ed Radtke and M.S. Neison
Directed byEd Radtke
Starring Maurice Compte, Paddy Connor, Jeanne Heaton, Joseph Arthur, Patrick Shining Elk

Features:

• Running audio commentary with director Radtke and producers Julia Reichert & Steven Bognar
  
• Interview with Radtke
  
• The Making-of The Dream Catcher
  
• Deleted Scenes
  
• Trailer
  
• Weblinks
  
• Auditions
  

Released by: Wellspring
Rating: NR (some content may be unsuitable for children)
Region: 1
Anamorphic: Yes

My Advice: See it at least once...

Freddie (Compte) is running. He hasn't decided whether he's running to find his long lost uncle, his estranged father who has gotten out of prison, or running away from his girlfriend who is pregnant with his child. He is hitching from Philadelphia across the country to find his uncle and father and, hopefully, himself. Along the way, he hooks up with Albert (Connor) who is a kleptomaniac, hitching his way from Ohio to Reno to find his mother who is working at a diner there. Across the country, the two form a rough friendship that gets them into and out of many dangerous situations and Freddie is actually forced to care for someone; something he didn't think himself capable of.

It's not often that a movie can move you quite like this one does. It's not really any surprise that when one does come along, it's usually made by an independent filmmaker. This film is beautiful because it doesn't rely on dialogue to help tell the story. Radtke takes full advantage of the fact that this is a...stay with me, here...visual medium to tell his story. He manages to get some amazing performances out of his actors without a bunch of heavy-handed dialogue. Compte and Connor take two characters who are not of the highest moral character and move them through a journey that has some very dark places along the way. What's best about this, and the reason I commend the actors so much, is that they are not afraid to go to those places. The cinematography is outstanding and actually adds to the story being told without either overbearing it or not taking the story into consideration. Honestly, this film is like a breath of fresh air.

The DVD is no different. It's very well put together and the people behind it get kudos as well. The commentary track with Radtke and the producers is pretty good, but I got the feeling that the producers got a little too much in the way a lot of the time. Oftentimes I just wanted them to get out of the way and let Radtke tell us what he wanted to about his movie.

Also, this disc is one of those rare instances when you are presented with a collection of deleted scenes that you really wish were put back into the movie. Even without Radtke's commentary, it was obvious why the scenes were cut, but I was thankful they were added here on this DVD. The making-of featurette actually focuses on--and I know this is a foreign concept to some--the making of the movie. It's not just a reason to have interviews with the cast so they can have a lovefest about each other and the director getting your DVD player clogged with all the sugary goodness oozing from within. No, this one starts out with the director's vision in writing the movie and then goes into putting it all together. Even if some of it was filmed after the fact, it's very well done.

The other major feature on the disc is the audition footage. Normally, I would say that it's more interesting to take a look at who didn't get cast as opposed to who did, but in this case, you get a chance to see the actors' raw take on the script and what they are bringing to the fray without the input from the director. It also allows you, if you really think about it, to see how much input the director had in putting his movie together.

To save my life, I could not find the interview with Radtke on this disc anywhere. Since they list the commentary track separately, I'm assuming that it's a misprint of some kind. I'm disappointed because I wanted to hear as much as I could from Radtke about his film. The other features are pretty common; trailers and weblinks. The weblinks are saved on a separate file that can be opened with a DVD-ROM, linking you to the sites for Transparent Films, Columbus Alive Wired, and Wellspring.

Place this movie high on your rental priority list. For those of you on Netflix, move it to the top. It must be seen.